Clarion County, Pennsylvania
County in Pennsylvania, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Clarion County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 37,241.[3] Its county seat is Clarion.[4] The county was formed on March 11, 1839, from parts of Venango and Armstrong counties. Clarion County is entirely defined as part of the Pittsburgh media market. The county is part of the North Central region of the commonwealth.[a]
Clarion County, Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|
Clarion County Courthouse | |
 Flag  Seal  Logo | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania | |
| Coordinates: 41°11′N 79°25′W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Pennsylvania |
| Founded | March 11, 1839 |
| Named after | Clarion River |
| Seat | Clarion |
| Largest borough | Clarion |
| Area | |
• Total | 610 sq mi (1,600 km2) |
| • Land | 601 sq mi (1,560 km2) |
| • Water | 9.0 sq mi (23 km2) 1.5% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 37,241 |
36,855  | |
| • Density | 61.3/sq mi (23.7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 15th |
| Website | www |
| Designated | April 26, 1982[2] |
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 610 square miles (1,600 km2), of which 601 square miles (1,560 km2) is land and 9.0 square miles (23 km2) (1.5%) is water.[5] It has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Dfb), and average temperatures in Clarion borough range from 24.5 °F in January to 82 °F in July.[6] Clarion County is one of the 423 counties served by the Appalachian Regional Commission,[7] and it is identified as part of the "Midlands" by Colin Woodard in his book American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America.[8]
Adjacent counties
- Forest County (north)
- Jefferson County (east)
- Armstrong County (south)
- Butler County (west)
- Venango County (west)
Parks
Part of Cook Forest State Park is in Clarion County.
The Clarion County Park is located in Paint Township. Clarion County Veterans Memorial Park is located directly across Main Street (Route 322) from the Clarion County Courthouse in the center of the Borough of Clarion.
Major highways
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 23,565 | — | |
| 1860 | 24,988 | 6.0% | |
| 1870 | 26,537 | 6.2% | |
| 1880 | 40,328 | 52.0% | |
| 1890 | 36,802 | −8.7% | |
| 1900 | 34,283 | −6.8% | |
| 1910 | 36,683 | 7.0% | |
| 1920 | 36,170 | −1.4% | |
| 1930 | 34,531 | −4.5% | |
| 1940 | 38,410 | 11.2% | |
| 1950 | 38,334 | −0.2% | |
| 1960 | 37,480 | −2.2% | |
| 1970 | 38,414 | 2.5% | |
| 1980 | 43,362 | 12.9% | |
| 1990 | 41,699 | −3.8% | |
| 2000 | 41,765 | 0.2% | |
| 2010 | 39,988 | −4.3% | |
| 2020 | 37,241 | −6.9% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 36,855 | | −1.0% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[9] 1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11] 1990-2000[12] 2010-2020[3][13] | |||
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 37,241, a population density of 69 people per square mile (27 people/km2), 15,298 households, and 10,738 families residing in the county.[14] The median age was 43.6 years, 19.5% of residents were under the age of 18, 21.6% were 65 years of age or older, there were 95.6 males for every 100 females, and there were 93.1 males for every 100 females age 18 and over.[14]
Of the 15,298 households in the county, 24.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 49.5% were married-couple households, 18.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present; about 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[14]
There were 18,829 housing units, of which 18.8% were vacant, 71.5% of the occupied units were owner-occupied, and 28.5% were renter-occupied; the homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.5%.[14]
15.2% of residents lived in urban areas, while 84.8% lived in rural areas.[15]
The racial makeup of the county was 94.4% White, 1.5% Black or African American, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.5% from some other race, and 3.0% from two or more races; Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.0% of the population.[16]
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[17] | Pop 2010[18] | Pop 2020[19] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 40,867 | 38,724 | 35,023 | 97.84% | 96.83% | 94.04% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 325 | 468 | 521 | 0.77% | 1.17% | 1.39% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 44 | 45 | 39 | 0.10% | 0.11% | 0.10% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 141 | 191 | 175 | 0.33% | 0.47% | 0.46% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 2 | 5 | 15 | 0.00% | 0.01% | 0.04% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 9 | 24 | 111 | 0.02% | 0.06% | 0.29% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 205 | 286 | 970 | 0.49% | 0.71% | 2.60% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 172 | 245 | 387 | 0.41% | 0.61% | 1.03% |
| Total | 41,765 | 39,988 | 37,241 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Government
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1888 | 2,950 | 41.71% | 3,880 | 54.86% | 243 | 3.44% |
| 1892 | 2,543 | 39.23% | 3,746 | 57.79% | 193 | 2.98% |
| 1896 | 3,338 | 43.57% | 4,097 | 53.47% | 227 | 2.96% |
| 1900 | 3,002 | 44.69% | 3,472 | 51.68% | 244 | 3.63% |
| 1904 | 2,978 | 50.95% | 2,466 | 42.19% | 401 | 6.86% |
| 1908 | 2,915 | 42.92% | 3,291 | 48.46% | 585 | 8.61% |
| 1912 | 916 | 14.63% | 3,079 | 49.17% | 2,267 | 36.20% |
| 1916 | 2,595 | 41.07% | 3,269 | 51.74% | 454 | 7.19% |
| 1920 | 4,615 | 53.28% | 3,487 | 40.26% | 560 | 6.47% |
| 1924 | 5,913 | 55.27% | 3,642 | 34.04% | 1,143 | 10.68% |
| 1928 | 9,183 | 70.43% | 3,746 | 28.73% | 109 | 0.84% |
| 1932 | 5,991 | 46.03% | 6,651 | 51.10% | 373 | 2.87% |
| 1936 | 8,477 | 49.32% | 8,412 | 48.94% | 300 | 1.75% |
| 1940 | 9,035 | 57.76% | 6,564 | 41.96% | 44 | 0.28% |
| 1944 | 8,098 | 60.16% | 5,263 | 39.10% | 99 | 0.74% |
| 1948 | 6,866 | 57.94% | 4,984 | 42.06% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 9,340 | 63.76% | 5,212 | 35.58% | 97 | 0.66% |
| 1956 | 10,048 | 66.94% | 4,955 | 33.01% | 8 | 0.05% |
| 1960 | 10,307 | 65.04% | 5,506 | 34.74% | 34 | 0.21% |
| 1964 | 6,143 | 39.92% | 9,235 | 60.01% | 11 | 0.07% |
| 1968 | 8,077 | 56.00% | 5,341 | 37.03% | 1,005 | 6.97% |
| 1972 | 10,073 | 67.96% | 4,509 | 30.42% | 239 | 1.61% |
| 1976 | 8,360 | 54.96% | 6,585 | 43.29% | 265 | 1.74% |
| 1980 | 8,812 | 58.35% | 5,472 | 36.24% | 817 | 5.41% |
| 1984 | 9,836 | 64.27% | 5,407 | 35.33% | 61 | 0.40% |
| 1988 | 8,026 | 58.37% | 5,616 | 40.84% | 109 | 0.79% |
| 1992 | 6,477 | 41.21% | 5,584 | 35.53% | 3,657 | 23.27% |
| 1996 | 6,916 | 45.89% | 5,954 | 39.51% | 2,201 | 14.60% |
| 2000 | 9,796 | 61.81% | 5,605 | 35.37% | 448 | 2.83% |
| 2004 | 11,063 | 64.38% | 6,049 | 35.20% | 72 | 0.42% |
| 2008 | 10,737 | 60.06% | 6,756 | 37.79% | 384 | 2.15% |
| 2012 | 10,828 | 66.55% | 5,056 | 31.08% | 386 | 2.37% |
| 2016 | 12,576 | 71.21% | 4,273 | 24.20% | 811 | 4.59% |
| 2020 | 14,578 | 74.67% | 4,678 | 23.96% | 268 | 1.37% |
| 2024 | 15,036 | 76.00% | 4,562 | 23.06% | 185 | 0.94% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2018 | 8,838 | 62.99% | 4,924 | 35.09% | 269 | 1.92% |
| 2024 | 14,179 | 72.06% | 4,683 | 23.80% | 815 | 4.14% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2016 | 11,310 | 64.83% | 4,931 | 28.27% | 1,204 | 6.90% |
| 2022 | 10,620 | 69.09% | 4,327 | 28.15% | 424 | 2.76% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2014 | 6,418 | 59.49% | 4,371 | 40.51% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 8,594 | 60.98% | 5,191 | 36.83% | 309 | 2.19% |
| 2022 | 10,019 | 65.03% | 5,114 | 33.19% | 274 | 1.78% |
Voter registration
As of February 6, 2024, there are 23,414 registered voters in Clarion County.[22]
- Republican (63.9%)
- Democratic (24.7%)
- Independent (8.31%)
- Other Parties (3.08%)
- Republican: 14,959 (63.89%)
- Democratic: 5,788 (24.72%)
- Independent: 1,946 (8.31%)
- Third Party: 721 (3.08%)
County commissioners
- Wayne Brosius; Republican
- Ted Tharan; Republican
- Braxton White; Democrat
Other county officials
- Hon. James G. Arner, senior judge, Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas
- Hon. Sara Seidle-Patton, president judge, Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas
- Duane L. Quinn (18-3-01), district judge
- Timothy P. Schill (18-3-02), district judge
- Jarah L Heeter (18-3-03), district judge
- Jeffery C. Miller (18-3-04), district judge
- Drew Welsh; Republican, District Attorney
- Shawn Zerfoss; Republican, Sheriff
- Karyn Montana; Republican, Treasurer
State senate
| District | Senator | Party |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Scott E. Hutchinson | Republican |
State House of Representatives
| District | Representative | Party |
|---|---|---|
| 63 | Josh Bashline | Republican |
United States House of Representatives
| District | Representative | Party |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Glenn Thompson | Republican |
United States Senate
| Senator | Party |
|---|---|
| John Fetterman | Democrat |
| Dave McCormick | Republican |
Education
Colleges and universities
Public school districts
Intermediate unit
Public school districts and private schools in the county are served by Riverview Intermediate Unit IU6 which provides special education and professional development services.
Technical school
Clarion County Career Center is located along State Route 66 in Marianne (Shippenville address).
Private schools
- Alexander Amish School - Venus
- Bear Run School - Knox
- Christs Dominion Academy - Summerville
- Clarion Center School - Clarion
- County Corner - Knox
- Deer View School - Mayport
- Immaculate Conception School - Clarion
- Little Bird Preschool - New Bethlehem
- Meadow View Amish School - Knox
- New Bethlehem Mennonite School - New Bethlehem
- Shady Nook Amish School - Sligo
- St Josephs School - Lucinda
- Zacheral Amish School - Venus
Communities
Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The following boroughs and townships are located in Clarion County:
Boroughs
Townships
Census-designated places
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Clarion County.[23]
† county seat
| Rank | City/town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2020 Census) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | † Clarion | Borough | 3,931 |
| 2 | Marianne | CDP | 1,063 |
| 3 | Knox | Borough | 1,093 |
| 4 | New Bethlehem | Borough | 978 |
| 5 | Rimersburg | Borough | 942 |
| 6 | East Brady | Borough | 818 |
| 7 | Sligo | Borough | 681 |
| 8 | Strattanville | Borough | 537 |
| 9 | Hawthorn | Borough | 477 |
| 10 | Shippenville | Borough | 442 |
| 11 | St. Petersburg | Borough | 336 |
| 12 | Callensburg | Borough | 150 |
| 13 | Tylersburg | CDP | 196 |
| T-14 | Foxburg | Borough | 181 |
| T-14 | Crown | CDP | 265 |
| 15 | Leeper | CDP | 136 |
| 16 | Vowinckel | CDP | 130 |
Notable people
- Marietta Bones (1842–1901) - suffragist, social reformer, philanthropist
- Fred Caligiuri (1918–2018) - Major League Baseball pitcher (Philadelphia Athletics, 1941, 1942); as of 2018 was the oldest living major-league player; born in Forest County; former resident of Knox and Rimersburg
- Hunter Corbett - pioneer American Presbyterian missionary to China, ministered in China for 56 years
- Jim Kelly - NFL athlete (Buffalo Bills); grew up in East Brady
- Chris Kirkpatrick - musician ('N Sync); born in Clarion
- Dominick Labino - glass artist; born in Fairmount City (Redbank Township); managed the Owens-Illinois glass plant in Clarion
- Ossee Schreckengost - Major League Baseball player; born in New Bethlehem
- Randall Silvis - author and screenwriter; born in Madison Township
- Grace M. Sloan (1902–2001), Pennsylvania state treasurer and auditor general; born in Clarion
- Ernest M. Skinner - pipe organ builder, inventor; born in Clarion
- Jane Wolfe - silent film actress and thelemite; born in St. Petersburg
See also
